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The two questions we’re not asking: Depression screening in spinal cord injury

Spinal Cord (2025)Cite this article

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During my years supervising rounds in spinal cord injury rehabilitation ward, I have repeatedly witnessed a troubling disconnect. Residents confidently discuss neurogenic bladder protocols and spasticity management but fumble when asked about their patient’s mood. When pressed, they offer vague assessments like “seems depressed, but who wouldn’t be?” This clinical blind spot persists despite clear evidence that depression affects one in four SCI patients, which is nearly four times the general population rate [1].

Unfortunately, the irony is striking. We meticulously track bladder volumes and monitor for autonomic dysreflexia, yet depression screening remains haphazard, despite the fact that prevalence of probable depression after SCI reported as high as 60% among inpatients and people living in the community [2]. Most clinicians rely on subjective impressions rather than asking two simple questions that could transform patient care.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mubarak Alkabeer Hospital, Jabriya, Kuwait

    Ahmad Jasem Abdulsalam

  2. International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Andrei Krassioukov

  3. G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Andrei Krassioukov

  4. Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Andrei Krassioukov

Authors
  1. Ahmad Jasem Abdulsalam
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  2. Andrei Krassioukov
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Contributions

AJA contributed in the conception of the work, conducting the study, revising the draft, approval of the final version of the manuscript, and agreed for all aspects of the work. AK contributed in the conception of the work, drafting and revising the draft, approval of the final version of the manuscript, and agreed for all aspects of the work.

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Correspondence to Ahmad Jasem Abdulsalam.

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Abdulsalam, A.J., Krassioukov, A. The two questions we’re not asking: Depression screening in spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-025-01115-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-025-01115-8

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